August Ames

August Ames was a Canadian-born adult model and porn actress. Born as Mercedes Grabowski on August 23, 1994 in Halifax, Canada, she reflects the essence of her Virgo zodiac sign, known for her attention to detail, analytical mindset, and reliability. She is also known as Hailey Edwards.

August gained significant recognition as the featured model at CherryPipms in December 2016, fascinating audiences with her stunning beauty. Her measurements are 35-23-36, complemented by her deep brown eyes and lustrous brown hair. She also had several tattoos and piercing that enhance her stunning appearance.

August Ames appeared in more than 100 films, including a non-pornographic film in 2016, and was nominated for several AVN Awards. With a self-disclosed history of sexual abuse and mental illness, Ames died by suicide in 2017 at the age of 23 after a social media backlash following a tweet she posted, perceived by some as homophobic. Her death brought considerable industry attention to the impact of cancel culture.

Ames grew up in Petawawa, Ontario, and later lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Raised in a military family, she spent her early years living near Canadian Forces Base Petawawa. Ames alleged she was sexually molested by her paternal grandfather, but her father did not believe her, leading to her being placed in a group home at 12 years old. She also mentioned being enticed to strip by an adult male in exchange for drugs during her teenage years. Before entering the adult film industry, Ames studied culinary arts, worked as a nanny, an animal-assisted aide, and a horseback trainer.

Ames's pornographic career began at 19 in November 2013. She had over 100 IMDb credits, working with major companies such as Brazzers, Elegant Angel, Evil Angel, Girlfriends Films, Jules Jordan Video, New Sensations, and Sweetheart Video. She received four AVN Award nominations, including three for Female Performer of the Year. In 2016, she appeared in the non-pornographic film "Model for Murder: The Centerfold Killer."

Ames was married to Kevin Moore, a producer and director for Evil Angel. She publicly discussed her struggles with bipolar depressive disorder and dissociative identity disorder, which stemmed from her traumatic childhood. Ames found it challenging to get appropriate care due to the stigma associated with her profession.

In December 2017, Ames withdrew from a scene upon learning her co-star had performed in gay pornography. On December 3, 2017, she tweeted about her decision, which sparked criticism and abuse on social media. Despite Ames being bisexual and defending her sexual autonomy, the backlash was severe. Two days later, Ames was found dead in a park in Camarillo, California. Her death was ruled a suicide by asphyxia by hanging. Toxicology results showed the presence of cocaine, marijuana, the antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft), and the anxiolytic alprazolam (Xanax) in her system.

Close friends attributed her suicide to cyberbullying, with her final tweet being "Fuck y'all." There were claims that a tweet from performer Jaxton Wheeler, demanding Ames apologize or take a cyanide pill, contributed to her distress, though journalist Jon Ronson later found this tweet was posted after her death. The role of cancel culture in her death remained a topic of discussion for months.

Ames's brother and Ronson suggested that violence from performer Markus Dupree during a scene may have triggered traumatic memories or contributed to her suicide. This scene was filmed about six weeks before her death, and Ames expressed distress over it to multiple people.

Jon Ronson's podcast series "The Last Days of August" delved into her suicide, exploring factors like cyberbullying, marital issues, social isolation, trauma, mental illness, and substance abuse. Ronson concluded that several factors and people contributed to her deteriorating mental state.

Following Ames's death and other similar tragedies, initiatives like The August Project and Pineapple Support were proposed to address mental health issues within the industry. The August Project, conceived by Moore, and Pineapple Support, launched by British performer Leya Tanit, aimed to provide support and resources to adult industry professionals.